Top world chefs launched a campaign to protect over-exploited fish species by promoting alternatives such as the humble anchovy, sardine and herring in their restaurants. A score of gourmet celebrities said they would serve sustainable fish options from June 8 in a campaign titled "Save the Oceans and Feed the World".
Such so-called "forage fish" are plentiful but are typically made into powder or oil to feed other fish species or animals in farms, Oceana says. More than a third of all fish catches worldwide are used to make such secondary products, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Oceana's chief executive Andy Sharpless said he hoped the big name chefs - many of whom have Michelin stars - would influence other cooks and the public to change their habits. Spanish chef Pedro Subijana, who has three Michelin stars, said some types of fish were ignored in the kitchen because cooks did not know what to do with them. "Our job is to teach them," he said.